In the Republican party, three candidates are competing for their party’s nomination for gubernatorial candidate in the New Mexico primaries, coming up June 2, 2026. The result will determine who will run in the general election, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Early absentee voting began May 5, and expanded early voting began on May 16. Early voting ends May 30. For more information about when to vote visit the Secretary of State website.
Gregg Hull
Previous mayor of Rio Rancho and NMSU College Republicans endorsed Gregg Hull, said his motivation to run comes from a desire for municipalities to be heard by the state government.
Hull said his strategy for crime, education, and health care in New Mexico would be to work with local communities. He emphasized that a one-size-fits-all method doesn’t work for a state as large and diverse as New Mexico, and said he’d want to speak with local governments to create solutions tailored to their needs.
“I feel that I’m going to bring a very unique perspective to the office that will help me work with communities, one on one, to solve local problems at the local level,” Hull said in an interview with The Round Up March 30.
He also said he would want to work with local police stations to increase staffing and reduce gun violence. He mentioned Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story’s public address following the Young Park shooting as an example of why police officers need more staffing.
Hull’s education policy includes building connections between high schools and higher education institutions, expanding school choice, and providing training for sustainable jobs.
Duke Rodriguez
Former state cabinet secretary, Duke Rodriguez, emphasized that he has not only worked in politics, touting his experience as a business owner. He is currently the President and CEO of Ultra Health, a medicinal cannabis company with 30 licensed dispensaries. Rodriguez said his experience outside of the political sphere sets him apart in the race.
“When you elect a recycled, rinse-and-repeat candidate, you get exactly that,” Rodriguez said. “You get a lot of political rhetoric. You get a lot of empty promises, and you get what you vote for, which is a politician. I don’t want to be a politician; I want to be a rational, common sense business experience leader, who happened to jump into the political arena to fix it.”
Rodriguez said he thinks New Mexico has been “moving backwards” especially in social services and public safety. He expressed the importance of not treating health care, educationn, and crime as separate issues but as interconnected parts of a bigger problem.
Rodriguez experienced a legal trouble when former Republican candidate James Ellison challenged his eligibility to run. Ellison’s challenge alleged Rodriguez hadn’t lived continuously in the state of New Mexico for at least five years because he has voted in Arizona. Rodriguez maintained he has resided in New Mexico for decades, and so far, the challenges have been unsuccessful.
Doug Turner
As the campaign director and lead strategist for former Gov. Gary Johnson and Chairman of the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission, Doug Turner said he believes New Mexicans want “disciplined, results-driven leadership.”
Turner previously ran for governor in the 2010 Republican primary where he earned 11% of the vote. He has since founded a communications firm, Agenda, whose clientele includes the United Nations.
Turner joined the race in February 2026. He told Source NM he joined later than most candidates because he was grieving the loss of his wife to cancer last year. Despite his late start, Turner’s campaign has gained traction in fundraising efforts, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Turner has denied being a “MAGA” candidate but attended a fundraiser at President Trump’s Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago Club earlier this month.
Turner’s policy page lists jobs, the economy, and public safety as his top priorities. He has used his experience of growing up in New Mexico to show he cares about issues that personally affect New Mexicans.
Steve Lanier was disqualified on March 27, 2026, for failing to turn in his declaration of candidacy. Belinda Robertson was disqualified in February, and former Public Regulation Commissioner Jim Ellison also dropped out in early March.
A poll taken by the Albuquerque Journal showed Hull in the lead, with 40% of voters still undecided.
For information on where to vote on June 2, visit the Secretary of State voter services.
LARRY Aldoff • May 31, 2026 at 9:24 AM
Why does no candidate for governor ever present the issue of the prisoners return rate back to prison every year in New Mexico it’s about 50 % New Mexico had the wildhorse prisoners rehabilitation program years ago and it was very successful then the legislative stop the program due to lack of funds we are talking about protecting the public lack of funds oh so wrong if you drive by the state prison in Santa fe you will see the pen for the wildhorse in front of the prison some candidate should bring that issue